TALL IN THE SADDLE POSSE ON HORSEBACK JOINS MALL PATROL.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Sheriff's deputies and volunteers - in patrol cars and on horseback - have stepped up their presence in Antelope Valley shopping centers for the holiday season.

The extra deputies are intended to curb thefts that typically increase in November and December as unwary shoppers leave purchases in parked cars or unwatched in shopping carts.

``They're mainly there to make their presence known,'' said Deputy Daryl Bonsal of the Palmdale sheriff's station.

In Palmdale, three extra patrol cars will be placed in high-traffic areas and uniformed volunteers - including the department's Mounted Posse, whose volunteers ride horses - will be patrolling the Antelope Valley Mall parking lot.

Lancaster has added six additional patrol cars in high-traffic areas and volunteers are keeping an eye on shopping centers.

Of the three patrol cars added in Palmdale, one will be assigned to 10th Street West watching the Marketplace at Palmdale center, which contains Best Buy and Target.

Another will be assigned to the centers at 25th Street East and Avenue S to watch the Stater Brothers and Food 4 Less parking lots. The third will be positioned at 47th Street East and Avenue S patrolling the Albertsons, Stater Bros. and Wal-Mart parking lots.

Four Mounted Posse volunteers will patrol the Antelope Valley Mall parking lot daily during varying hours. Posse members have a better view from atop their horses than does a deputy in a car or on foot.

``There's an advantage for them, especially to see if somebody is trying to break into a car or acting suspiciously,'' Bonsal said.

Other uniformed Palmdale sheriff's volunteers - who are not armed - walk through the mall parking lot and other shopping centers to show their presence.

Lancaster has added extra patrols to high-traffic areas throughout the city, including the Valley Central Way parking lot, the Kmart center on 20th Street West, the Target Center and other shopping centers on Avenue K between 10th and 15th Street West as well as several smaller centers.

The extra patrols will continue until about New Year's Day, officials said.

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Photo:

(color) Members of the Sheriff's Department mounted unit, from left, Debora Zaferis on Splash, Carol Saul on Jes, Dennis Zaferis on Cindy and Alexandria Jarlsberg on Lori patrol the Antelope Valley Mall to deter law-breaking and catch crooks during the holiday season.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer